Kenny Shim

For more than 35 years, I’ve proudly operated Busy Bee King Mart in Toronto. As a convenience store owner, my staff and I have worked hard every day to serve our neighbourhood – providing essential goods, a friendly face, and a dependable place that’s open early and late, 365 days a year.

Whether our families arrived in Canada generations ago or more recently, most of us in the convenience store business never asked for special treatment – we simply want a fair shot. That’s the story of thousands of independent store owners across the country. From new Canadians pursuing the dream of small business ownership, to long-established families continuing a proud tradition of entrepreneurship, we’ve all believed that by following the rules and working hard, we could build a good life for our families. And for many years, that belief held true.

What we didn’t expect was that the very system we respected—the one rooted in fairness and the rule of law – would begin to tip in favour of those who break the rules, while making it harder for those of us who have always played by them.

As small business owners, convenience store operators have always taken their responsibilities seriously. Convenience stores are trusted by governments to sell products that are age-restricted – like cigarettes, lottery tickets, and even alcohol in provinces like Ontario. Convenience store operators have demonstrated an exceptional track record when it comes to checking ID. 

But over the years, the environment around us has changed dramatically.

The first warning sign was the explosion of illegal cigarettes and vapes – products smuggled, untaxed, and sold outside of any regulations. These illegal products are sold without ID-checks. They don’t carry health warnings. And they’re sold at a fraction of the price, often out of car trunks or through shady online sellers. While government lost millions in tax revenue, we lost foot traffic and income we used to count on.  This issue continues to plague the convenience industry to this day, with minimal government intervention.

Most recently, it was nicotine pouches, a new product approved by Health Canada to help reduce or quit smoking altogether. Without warning or justification, the previous Liberal government issued a ministerial order banning convenience stores from selling pouches, despite the fact it was sold behind the counter, and required proof of age.  

Let me be clear: that accusation was deeply offensive to store owners like me who take great pride in running a lawful business. Our stores already restrict access to all kinds of adult-only products. We’re subject to inspections and penalties. We know our customers by name. And we’re part of the solution —not the problem.

Meanwhile, the exact opposite of what was intended has happened: illegal, unregulated nicotine pouches are now everywhere. Sold online. Sold without ID checks. Sold without age restrictions or health warnings. It’s not only hurting legal retailers—it’s putting public health at risk.

We’re now approaching the one-year anniversary of that ministerial order, and the result is clear: less help for smokers, more profits for black market sellers, another revenue stream lost for local stores like mine, contributing to increasing store closures across the country.

It’s time to reverse this mistake.

With a new federal government now in place under Prime Minister Carney, there’s an opportunity to do the right thing – for consumers, for small businesses, and for public health. We are urging the new Health Minister, Marjorie Michael, to reverse the order and return nicotine pouches to licensed convenience stores that sell responsibly, follow the rules, and care about their communities.

Let’s stop punishing those who follow the law while ignoring those who break it. Let’s give honest business owners a fighting chance again.

Canada is still a land of opportunity – but only if we stop stacking the deck against the very people who built that promise in the first place.

Kenny Shim is the owner of Busy Bee Market in Toronto. He is the president of the United Korean Canadian Industry Association which represents over 2000 independent retailers across Canada